I know, you’re thinking I’m writing about myself and the silly predicament I’ve been in with my bad back but no, The Loose Goose is a restaurant on the Sunshine Coast. My friends Jan and David sent an email the other day that said they’d been inside too long and it was time to go to lunch.

Nobody has said it out loud but it’s usually my turn to choose where we go for lunch. Some restaurants were closed for the day and some were fully booked because it’s been school holidays and I was getting desperate. I remembered someone telling us they’d been to the Loose Goose and it was good so I booked online.

The name seemed weird but when we opened the menu, it says the name came about from the nursery rhyme Lucy Goosey after the parents had enjoyed more than enough wine, The Loose goose was born. Despite the name, it’s an upscale restaurant sitting next to a lily pond.

It’s in Twin Waters next to the golf club at the end of a small shopping strip housing a convenience store and that made me raise my eyebrows a bit. I tend to avoid places like this but once we got inside, it’s really lovely and modern. The ceiling is open to the roof which gives the place a sense of space and the tables are set wide enough apart that you don’t feel you’re eating with the people beside you.

We were met at the door by a very friendly face who asked if we wanted to sit outside by the water or inside where it was a bit warmer. It’s winter – we wanted to be inside. The service was immediate and friendly and remained so throughout the meal.

The kitchen is open to the dining room so I made sure I could sit where I could watch the chefs in action. One was peeling apples and he certainly got through them a lot quicker than I could have. Another chef was chopping things finely and another was busy over the stove.

We received our menus and the lunch specials and everyone had a different idea. I decided I wanted two appetisers. Truthfully, I couldn’t hold an appetiser and a main course so two small dishes seemed like a good idea.

When I saw the crepes with pulled pork, nothing else mattered. The dish was deconstructed with crepes on the left side of the plate and a portion of pulled pork on the right with a tomato and courgette salad in the middle. The pork sent me right back home to the South. I wrapped some pork in the crepe and I was in heaven. I felt the salad could have used some seasoning and maybe a splash of vinegar so I left that, knowing I had another dish coming.

Having two appetisers seemed like a good idea to everyone and they both wanted the chicken pate with orange marmalade.

I tasted Jan’s chicken pate and it was flavourful and creamy with the tart marmalade making a party in my mouth. She thought the it was delicious too.

Jan and I both wanted the twice baked cheese souffle over beetroot. It’s one of those dishes that might not be all that beautiful but we swooned at the first bite. The soufflé was light and cheesy and just what we’d hoped for. It sat on a dish of roasted beetroot and beetroot cream and candied walnuts. I love beetroot and didn’t think it was possible to have too much of it but the lightness of the soufflé against the really firm beetroot seemed odd in my mouth. I had two tiny pieces of walnut and the dish could have used more of that and less of the beetroot we thought. That said, we both enjoyed it and sent back no soufflé and only a little beetroot.

Isn’t this char-grilled eye fillet steak lovely? It was served on top of mashed potatoes along with sauteed bacon, peas, brussels sprouts and eschallots. The steak was perfectly cooked and the plate was clean.

David ordered the fish from the lunch special ($30) and he said it was cooked to perfection – soft, flaky and very tasty.

Jan and I were too full for dessert but David’s individual pavlova was served on strawberry sauce with finely (and perfectly) diced strawberries on top with a scoop of ice cream and more strawberry sauce. The pavlova was baked in an oval shape and looked so pretty on the dish.

Jan and my cheese plate looked terrific and I’ll admit that even though I was stuffed, I needed a piece of cracker with some Cropwell Bishop Stilton cheese and some quince paste. I want to learn how to prepare an apple like that! For an instant I thought about changing my mind about being full because it was SO good. Therewas also some Mon Pere Brie on the plate but sadly I was too full. Next time.

This gem of a suburban restaurant will see us visiting again soon thanks to head chef Carl Mitaros and his enthusiastic team.